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October 2012

relationships are expressed through the use of our shared finances and how we might express our commitment to pioneering new ministries together. We will hear stories from a whole variety of Baptist Churches around Scotland and from world mission contexts, where communities of God's people are learning to freshly demonstrate and tell the Gospel story. For those who are unable to attend the assembly in its entirety we invite you to join us at our evening celebrations on Thursday or Friday evening. We will be welcoming several new churches on Thursday night and several new ministers on Friday night. Free tickets are available for these evenings. On Saturday we are flinging wide the doors of assembly from lunchtime with a variety of new ways to engage with the wider baptist family. There will be a

family assembly from 1-4.30 in Dundee Central led by Lynn Alexander, author of "Children, families and God" and including a performance by Saltmine Theatre Company entitled "One Hope". This will be a great afternoon particularly for families with primary aged children. A youth assembly will run at the same time in the Caird Hall with Mo Gibbs and Chris Duffett. There will also be a special assembly session from 2pm which any adults are welcome to attend. The closing celebration of the Assembly will combine aspects of the family, youth and adult streams together with a warm invitation already extended to all the churches of Dundee to join us from 7-9pm.
Free tickets for Saturday events are available by contacting the BUS office, 0141 423 6169 or jenny@scottishbaptist.org.uk
Alan Donaldson

I am really looking forward to welcoming many of you to the Baptist Assembly in Scotland next month. As the final plans come together and contributors from around the country share their plans for the weekend, I am certain that we will be inspired by the Word of God, the stories of His activity through His church and the worship of His people as we celebrate together in His presence. Assembly is a place of discernment for baptists, a time when we come with a sense of anticipation that we will hear from God. Some things that we hear will be a challenge to us and will require us to think again about habits, actions and attitudes. As we reflect further together on a changing cultural context in Scotland, we will be challenged to think deeply about how we respond as bold yet humble witnesses. This year's theme of "come

home again" will, I hope, bring us great comfort and strength as we are reminded that all we do in service of Christ begins with his call. "The mission of God flows from the love of God. The mission of God's people flows from our love for God and for all that God loves. World evangelization is the outflow of God's love to us and through us. We affirm the primacy of God's grace and we then respond to that grace by faith, demonstrated through the obedience of love." Cape Town Commitment published following the third Lausanne Congress in 2010. The subtitle "participating in the mission of God" is a clear indication that this year's assembly is intended to build on our desire to be unashamedly missional. This year we will be reflecting in some detail on how our

SPECIAL NOTICE: The Baptist Union of Scotland accounts are now available on our websites Resources page (www.scottishbaptist.org.uk/downloads)

Baptist Assembly Super Saturday!

We are doing things a little differently this year on the Saturday of our Assembly. There are free ticketed events on for families, young people and an exciting evening celebration.
FAMILY STREAM - Lynn Alexander and friends will be holding a fantastic families programme which will include a production from Saltmine Theatre company - more information will be circulated separately about this. YOUTH STREAM - Mo Gibbs will be organising activities for young folk with the help of evangelist Chris Duffett, again more information will be circulated separately about this. EVENING CELEBRATION - The Super Saturday will finish with an evening celebration which is open to Christians from all over Dundee! Please promote this exciting programme with your congregation/friends. All we ask is that you register for tickets this is particularly important for the families and youth streams!

We look forward to seeing you at Assembly

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and at www.scottishbaptist.org.uk!

Published by the Baptist Union of Scotland, 48 Speirs Wharf, Glasgow, G4 9TH, admin@scottishbaptist.org.uk. Charity Registration No:SC004960

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October 2012

Tillicoultry Baptist Church - Making Headlines

Putting on over 50 free local events with a total of over 1000 people attending in one week would be a pretty tall order for any church. However, when other local groups, businesses and individuals got involved that is what happened in August in the small town of Tillicoultry (near Stirling). As the summer approached, some people in Tillicoultry Baptist Church had the idea of running the first Tillicoultry Community Week. Rather than church people organising lots of events, the hope was that we could act as coordinators for other groups running free events for the good of the community. This would not be a directly evangelistic week but one
The Litter-Pickers Assemble!

where many local people could learn something new, volunteer and have fun and, through that, build a better sense of community. Being in a small town it was easy to make contact with the community council, local council, other churches, local sports clubs, organisations and businesses and 20 people turned up to a meeting full of ideas for the Community Week.

Over the next few months these ideas turned into reality and a huge range of free events were offered by local groups and the churches. People from the church had advertising leaflets delivered to every house and set up a website and facebook page. During the week people enjoyed golf lessons, zumba, scone making, litter picking, bike maintenance, seniors tea, wood turning, film afternoon, card making, circus skills, allotment BBQ, breakfast, church barbecue, magic show, community quiz, local history exhibition, dance classes, babies and toddlers fun, a petanque game with 20 French visitors and a Family Ceilidh. For many the highlight of the week was a concert, Tilly in the Park, run by the Rugby Club. They gathered 4 local bands and put on a free outdoor concert which was enjoyed by over 700 people of all ages. It was a brilliant night with a great local festival atmosphere. Many people said how much they enjoyed the week and it even

became a good local news story with both local papers putting in 2 page articles. Before the week finished people were already talking about having a Community Week in 2013 and now people outside the church are already making plans. In the past we have put on local events ourselves with some success, however, working alongside other local people has been a great experience. We have seen that many local people are eager to do things for the benefit of others. We have made good contacts and forged good relationships with more local people. People in town have seen that the church is not only interested in preaching at them but in doing practical things for the good of others. People may not have come to faith but local people have seen Christians as normal people who care about our community. As well as being a good week we pray that this is a small step towards life changing faith.
Jacqueline Primrose

The Forfar Files...

As the kids get back to school, the harvest is coming in and the building at Well Braehead School, which Forfar Community Church is refurbishing as their base, is nearing completion and generating interest in the community. They are looking for memorabilia, photos etc., from old school days to display during a Community Week of open days. The formal opening of the building and the start of the Community Week takes place on Saturday 10th November with the cutting of the tape by Mrs Isobel Ross, Chair of Forfar Community Council. Open days over the next week will culminate in a Service of Dedication, at which Rev Alan Donaldson will preach and to

which all are invited. The focus on the building might have taken attention away from getting to know/ be known in the community but it has afforded many chats with neighbours and interested parties, sometimes to apologise for the noise and dust, at other times to share life stories. Mission is hard at times, local or global. The added pressure of building works can be very stressful so lets pray for encouragements this week for Julie, Stephen, Oliver and Valerie and, longer term, that as we see the harvest coming in the fields around Forfar that we might see a spiritual harvest in the months and years to come in Forfar. Judy White

Published by the Baptist Union of Scotland, 48 Speirs Wharf, Glasgow, G4 9TH, admin@scottishbaptist.org.uk. Charity Registration No:SC004960

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October 2012

Pitlochry Baptist Church:

Fishers of Men - on Shore and in the Water!

Johnstone FC Saints in the Community initiative. Nativity, Rockstar Children's Holiday Club. Youth led special service focusing on Creative Prayer. Social outings. Small groups of youth learning through Mission under the oversight of YWAM. Also, this year, we hosted a 24strong team from Hawaii Heartbridge- who, in music, dance and drama, brought (amongst many gifts) a presentation of The Prodigal Son So what of the next two years well you would have to join us to see. These are exciting times in Pitlochry. In many ways we feel as if we are on the brink of a new season; a new missional purpose is emerging. Perhaps we will make mistakes, perhaps we will follow some blind alleys but, in our life as a body and in our lives as individuals, we seek to grow in fullness and in maturity in Christ. And since the action and work of the Spirit is often varied no doubt we shall be in for many surprises!
PBC Leadership (secretary@pbcweb.net)

Dave Bookless

The fellowship gathers for a Baptismal Service at Ladys Dell, on the shore of Loch Faskally. Pitlochry Baptist Church is blessed with a Pastor and young family all with a heart for mission and evangelism true fishers of men; gifted in music, singing and just getting alongside ordinary people who come across their paths. You are as likely to find our Pastor at a Curry Night for men, hanging out on street corners, playing football with the local youth or taking up his new area of outreach with Sports Chaplaincy UK as chaplain for St Johnstone Football Club as you are in the traditional roles of a Baptist minister. Does this cause tension? Absolutely! For which one of us does not have our own expectations of the Minister and who has never approached a church assuming it is going to serve our needs rather than vice versa? How often do we think of the benefits of being a believer and not the sacrifice? But what opportunities it has opened up for growth in a church family, both in numbers and in the spiritual life of each individual. Indeed as a leadership perhaps one of our challenges is to ensure that all those folk, often un-churched who make their way across the threshold of the sanctuary or at a church event are nurtured and discipled into their own relationship with God and join all of us in a walk towards maturity of faith. Contrast that with another challenge to ensure that the history and real journey of the church over the years is understood, valued and not ignored even when it comes down to the refurbishment of the interior of the sanctuary and the frustration of lack of space. This then is the context into which many visitors, who can significantly swell our numbers, find themselves joining worship whilst on holiday or visiting Pitlochry and into whose lives traditionally the church family has brought a special touch of love. And what changes might they be aware of over the last two years? Well undoubtedly the people who make their home in this family are changing, although last year a man who had been on the Diaconate and served in various offices stepped down after forty years and only this August we celebrated the 70th wedding anniversary of two long-standing members. In August of last year, with financial support from the Baptist Union of Scotland, Zoe Dignam joined the church as a full time Children and Youth Worker (youth@pbcweb.net). Zoe 12:15 1:00 2:15 2:30 This was the answer to many years of faithful prayer in the fellowship and built on the appointment of a Pastor, in 2007, who was called with the purpose of reaching the younger generations in our community. And in Zoe we feel privileged to have someone with a pastoral heart for children and youth, whose gifts in discipleship and one-to-one care are clearly making an impact on the lives of our children, those in the community and those in the 3:45 wider Kingdom - for example:
An appreciative client! Sunday classes: Dig Deep small group life application Bible study.

Scripture Union (P6-7) and the Christian Union. Youth Band - members participate in dance, music and singing in the corporate worship (youngest member is 5 years old!) Youth Basketball, and 'Street Sports, partnering with St

Scottish Baptist History Project

There is to be a meeting of the project on Saturday 10th November, 2012, at Montrose Baptist Church, Coronation Way, Borrowfield, Montrose, DD10 9DW. The programme is as follows: 10:30 11:00 Tea / Coffee Jon Bergen Reflections on the first ten years of Brechin Baptist Fellowship Lunch [Tea / Coffee available] Kenneth Sinclair, Montrose Baptist Church history Tea /Coffee Catriona Gorton -title to be confirmed Conclusions

The Conference fee of 3, includes tea/ coffee and biscuits. This should be payable to Rev Dr Brian Talbot (NOT SBHP). Participants may like to bring a packed lunch. There is a car park at the church but, with advance notice, lifts can be arranged for those coming by train to Montrose. Alternatively, it is a walk of 15-20 minutes, but local buses and taxis may be available. (Details will be provided to those who ask.) For bookings, lifts and further info, contact : Rev. Dr Brian Talbot 33 Kilmaron Loan, Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 3TD or briantalbot@hotmail.co.uk

PLEASE NOTE: The events advertised in our publications or on our website cover the wider Christian scene in Scotland and do not necessarily reflect the involvement or endorsement of Baptist Union staff or any specific knowledge about content.
Published by the Baptist Union of Scotland, 48 Speirs Wharf, Glasgow, G4 9TH, admin@scottishbaptist.org.uk. Charity Registration No:SC004960

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October 2012

presence with us as we meet for corporate worship week by week. However, we also rejoice that people are seeking to be salt and light within the community. We give thanks for those who have left to serve the Lord in mission in other parts of the world. Sunday 7th Pray for continued wisdom for the leadership of the Church. Pray for those young believers Isobel Neal: Chaplain, CHAS Robin House. who have come to faith. Pray that they will Over the past year as Chaplain at Robin House grow in Christ. Pray for the Alpha course as we Children's Hospice there have been many blessings and encouragement as well as a number plan to run another course in October. Pray that of challenges. As I reflect I see that God has been God would draw along people. Pray for our at work in individual lives of families and of staff evening with the African Childrens Choir, on the 6th October, for the young people who are and there is a growing refreshing openness to beginning university at this time and for the God. I thank God for this and feel privileged to church, seeking to be creative in reaching out into be in this post at such a time as this. the community. Please could you pray that I will always be sensitive to God's leading and keep close to him? Maybole: Please pray for the church and its Could you also pray for the organisational pastor, Rev Tom McVicar. structure of chaplaincy, which is in a period of change? I would also appreciate prayer that the openness will continue to grow and that families Sunday 21st and staff alike will know a sense of the presence of God ministering to them when they come into Milestone: Mr Adam Oellermann. Our Holiday Club over the summer was a real the house. blessing - we had 35 children, most of whom have no church connection. As we make plans to Alasdair Nicoll: RAF Chaplain. I have been restart our children's ministry, pray that serving at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire since obstacles around venue and volunteers would be March this year. The church at Benson is small overcome, and that God would guide us as to the but growing and wed really value prayer as we shape of our outreach to children. begin some activities to reach out to our Volunteers from Milestone have been community and build up the believers. Weve recently begun a Discipleship Explored course for instrumental in launching the new Girvan depot of the South Ayrshire Foodbank - as we explore the congregation and pray that this will help to other ways of reaching out to desperate people equip us in our ministry to those around us. and those with broken lives in Girvan, please Plans are afoot to start a pre-school group pray that God would give us wisdom and midweek to serve the large number of young discernment, as well as the boldness and zeal to parents who live on the station. We are working do what he calls us to do. in tandem with the station primary school to As our Sunday Fellowship meetings at collect donations for Operation Christmas Child with the collection being at the Harvest service in members' homes begin to take shape, pray that they wouldn't become just another meeting on early October. the calendar - but that God would help us to Please pray for the station personnel serving deepen fellowship, and call more of us to explore away from home. Many serve in Afghanistan, and use our spiritual gifts in His service. the Middle East and the Falkland Islands, and As we work together on the refurbishment of others supported the Olympics and Paralympics. 29 Old Street (Adam and Michelle's new house Pray that they will return safely from their which will also be used for outreach and church deployments and successfully adjust from the separation of military service back to their home events) please pray that God would continue to provide finance as we need it, keep us safe as we lives. Pray especially for my colleague Geoffrey Firth who returns soon from his first deployment work on the fabric, and that it would become a place for us to build relationships in the church in Afghanistan. Pray too for the strengthening as well as with others in our community. relationships between the station chaplaincy team and the local ministers and vicars. Montrose. We give thanks (1) for a very I would be grateful for prayer as I start a worthwhile Step -Out mission with a brilliant programme of study leading towards an MTh team of 6 young people; (2) for new folk degree with Cardiff University. worshipping with us and over recent months; (3) for the continuing provision of visiting Sunday 14th preachers who have blessed and challenged us Lossiemouth: Rev Rae Mackenzie. Firstly, we during our time without a pastor. We pray that (1) our outreach to the give all our thanks to the Lord for the different community and our heart for mission will grow; ways he is blessing us at Lossiemouth Baptist Church. We give praise and thanks for those who (2) our plans to build an extension will be realised over the next few months; (3) the funding will be completed the Alpha course and who have in place when required. trusted Christ. We give the Lord thanks for the 12 people who have been baptised within the last Sunday 28th year. We are excited for those who have also committed to membership and are using their gifts in many different ways within the life of the Morningside (now known as Central) : fellowship. We continue to give thanks for Gods Rev Karl Martin. We are incredibly thankful to

Prayer Link for October

Father God for his leading and guiding over these past months. We relaunched as Central : Jesus at the heart on the 27 September with a vision event attended by the church family, and together covenanted to the incredible vision that God has graciously given us for our city of Edinburgh and beyond. Our vision is this: to become a movement of missional discipleship with Jesus at the heart. By this we just mean being disciples who make disciples. This vision is for our communities, our city, our nation and our world. We are thankful for growth in our missional communities extended families living and seeking Jesus kingdom together. We are thankful for the opportunity to purchase and make fit for purpose Central Hall a large building in Tollcross which we hope will serve as a training centre for this movement, as well as providing us with financial resource through letting as a venue for conferences and events. We are thankful for a season of rooted strengthening our shared rhythms of prayer and spiritual practice. We would value prayer for us as a church body for protection and empowering as we take our stand in this city, for Karl our senior pastor and the leadership team, and most importantly for Edinburgh that as we live and share Jesus, lives would be changed, and the prodigals would come home. Find us at www.jesusattheheart.org Motherwell: Please pray for the church and its pastor, Rev Reg Bartlett.

Engagement Diary for October

1 Judy White is at the Global Day of Prayer. 2 Alan Donaldson at BMS Council of Reference. 4 Pre-Accredited ministers reflection day at The Bield, led by Jim Purves and John Greenshields. 6 Alan Donaldson leads the induction of Ian McFarlane to Oban Baptist Church. Those participating in Initiate the joint BUS/ SBC training course, meet today. 7 Jim Purves preaches in Stenhouse/Gorgie Baptist Church, Edinburgh, Judy White preaches in Dumfries Baptist Church. 11 The National Team meets today. 14 Alan Donaldson preaches today in St Andrews Baptist while Judy White preaches at Newton Mearns Baptist. 16 Alan Donaldson attends a meeting of denominational leaders. 18 Judy White attends a meeting of Urban Expression. 20 The Scottish Baptist Womens Fellowship welcomes Christine Heron as their new President at their Rally in Leven Baptist Church. 23 Jim Purves attends the FBBI Ministry Forum over today and tomorrow. 25-27 The 2012 Baptist Assembly in Scotland takes place in the Caird Hall, Dundee. 28 Jim Purves preaches in Broughty Ferry Baptist Church, John Greenshields in St Marys Community Church and Alan Donaldson in Central Baptist, Dundee, today.

Published by the Baptist Union of Scotland, 48 Speirs Wharf, Glasgow, G4 9TH, admin@scottishbaptist.org.uk. Charity Registration No:SC004960